Since his debut with the Yamaha Tech 3 in MotoGP, during the Valencia tests, Johann has ranked eleventh in Spain at 1.040, in Sepang eleventh at 0.404 and in Phillip Island fifteenth at 1.121. What is his assessment of these three test sessions?
“I'm happy to be managing the bike better and better. During the last test in Australia, on a difficult circuit where there is a lot of fear of falling, I opted for wisdom by choosing to do a lot of laps in order to better understand this MotoGP and the nuances that there can be , for example in electronics. I want to understand the bike better so I can let go more during the next tests. I'm happy to take getting better and better with the bike in order to get used to the higher speed.
What excited you most about MotoGP, the engine, the chassis, the electronics, the braking?
“Three things: the engine, the grip and the braking. It's not just the power that is higher compared to other bikes, everything is pushed to the maximum. It really forces you to push your mental limits. And physical too because we don't expect the limit to be that far. This is what is really exciting to experience, as this limit is so far away.
At Phillip Island, Michelin brought new tires to test. How were you, a beginner in MotoGP, able to make relevant comments about these tires when you were discovering this difficult circuit in this category?
“Michelin has comments from each driver, and they note the different sensations that each one can give. Then it seems logical that they underline with red pen the sensations of drivers like Valentino, Marquez, those who go very fast and are experienced. Afterwards, they collect information from the young pilots, but it is rather they who can reassure us by telling us “ Hey, you had a good feeling because you felt the same thing as So-and-so ". They have enough experienced top drivers, and rather expect from us young drivers a kind of confirmation.
What was your first impression when you rode the 1000 in the wet for the first time? For example in Sepang, MotoGP arrives at braking at 340 km/h (exactly 339,6 for Iannone's Ducati) compared to 275,0 for Moto2 (Ricky Cardus 2015 in FP1)?
“Indeed, initially the question is: will it hold up at such a speed? And when we realize that it holds, we start to enjoy it a lot and have good feelings. In Malaysia – it was probably the tires – the grip was incredible! And we say to ourselves that fortunately, because at such a speed we are happy that it holds up.
What is the most difficult riding phase when you experience MotoGP in the wet?
“Acceleration and braking. You have to gain confidence. At first we are a little fearful about acceleration, but when we see that the bike handles well, we can accelerate more and more. But at some point we picked up speed, so you have to brake to slow down and that's where it gets complicated. As a driver, you can't not pick up speed on the straight because it's instinctive. We accelerate, we find ourselves at 300, and then when we have to brake in the wet, we say to ourselves “but why did I gain so much speed before”? Once you see that it holds, the pleasure is increased tenfold because it's huge.
“In MotoGP, are electronics an advantage, a disadvantage, a valuable help or a headache?
“To discover the category, it’s a valuable help and a great advantage. Then it can be a headache, but when the team manages to manage this element properly, then we can rely on it and go for it.
Are you looking forward to riding your Yamaha on a circuit you like like Mugello?
“Yes, but I hadn’t even thought about it that far. For now, I'm looking forward to going to Qatar to test the Yamaha, then coming back ten days later to race. For the moment, I don't plan any further. »
Photos © Monster Yamaha Tech 3
